http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/sydney-nsw/three-melbourne-men-guilty-of-planning-terror-attack-on-nsw-army-base/story-e6freuzi-1225975368101THREE Melbourne men have been found guilty of planning a suicide attack on Sydney's Holsworthy Army Barracks.
At the end of a 12 week trial Saney Edow Aweys, 26, Wissam Mahmoud Fattal, 33 and Nayef El Sayed, 25 were found guilty of conspiring to do acts in preparation for or planning a terrorist act.
As jurors left the court following the verdict, Fattal said: "Islam is truth religion. Thank you very much.''
Yacqub Khayre, 22, Abdirahman Mohamud Ahmed, 25, were found not guilty of the same charge.
Video: Three men guilty of planning terrorist attack on Sydney
The trial heard the men talked of firing until they had used up their ammunition or were overwhelmed or were killed.
The home-grown terror plot was designed to bring a fatwa down on Australia and had its genesis in the seething anger among a small group of Muslim men, some of them refugees, at their belief Islam was under attack from the West.
Aweys, 26, of Carlton North, Khayre, 22, of Meadow Heights, Ahmed, 25, of Preston, Fattal, 33, of Melbourne, and El Sayed, 25 of Glenroy pleaded not guilty to conspiring with each other and people unknown between February 1 and August 4 last year to do acts in preparation for, or planning a terrorist act or acts.
Justice Betty King released Khayre and Ahmed after both were acquitted.
Before they left the dock the men hugged their co-accused.
Justice King remanded Fattal, Aweys, and El Sayed in custody.
They will appear in court for a mention hearing on January 24.
Abdirahman Mohamud Ahmed later told reporters he was very relieved following an anxious wait for a verdict.
"I think justice has been served,'' he said.
When asked about the convictions of three of his co-accused, he replied: "It's unfortunate but this is God's will. I just want to tell them to be patient. They'll get out one day.''
Mr Ahmed said he wanted to spend his day at home with his family.
"See my daughters. Been a long time,'' he said when asked of his plans.
Omer Shere, a representative of the Somali community, said the community had faith in the justice system.
"We trust the system,'' he said.
Mr Shere said the two men's acquittal was a relief and their families were waiting for them.
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